During the night of March 18 to 19, just hours after Vladimir Putin claimed Russia was committed to a “peaceful resolution” in a call with Donald Trump, Ukrainian cities came under a wave of drone attacks.
According to multiple reports, around 40 drones were launched at various regions across Ukraine.
Air defense systems were active throughout the night, but several drones managed to strike civilian targets, including a direct hit on a hospital in Sumy, one of the most serious incidents of the night.
“Right now, in many regions, you can literally hear what Russia truly wants,” said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
“Around 40 Shaheds in our skies, air defense is working. Unfortunately, there are hits—specifically on civilian infrastructure. A direct strike from a Shahed drone hit a hospital in Sumy.”
Other regions affected by the drone attacks included Donetsk, Kyiv, Zhytomyr, Chernihiv, Poltava, Kharkiv, Kirovohrad, Dnipro, and Cherkasy.
“These are the kinds of nights we are living through,” Zelenskyy added, describing the intensity and spread of the strikes.
Zelenskyy has previously emphasized that Ukraine should not be treated as a bargaining chip in talks with Russia, saying he refuses to let his country become “an item on Putin’s menu.”
